Why is a digital TV called (1 Viewer)

[Marc Rochkind]

Why is a digital TV called "digital?"
I can think of two reasons:
1. Because it can receive digital TV signals, in addition to analog.
2. Because it does some digital processing internally.
Does any one know the REAL reason?
[Edited last by Marc Ro on October 19, 2001 at 02:55 PM]

 

[Ryan Pream]

Marketing. Most of the "Digital" TV's today are completly analog. The component inputs on HDTV's are analog not digital.
Ryan
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[Tor Arne]

It's because the internal image processing is done digitally. Panasonic has been doing this for a long time.
TAH

 

[Rick Radford]

Interestingly enough, AFAIK, only digital sets can accept progressive input (480P) although there are some analog sets that can also do the squeeze (Sony 32FV27, for example). I don't know if DV vs RPTV sets are different in this regard.
OTOH, I've often heard the analogy that computer monitors are progressive scan.. and yet they are analog, are they not?
And are there digital TVs that don't do the squeeze?
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--RR

 

[Scott L]

The only true digital televisions are DLPs (Digital Light Processor). It makes a complete digital image using 1s and 0s instead of analog CRTs. Select DLPs can accept digital video inputs (SDI).
Link Removed
I agree with Ryan about places like Best Buy and CC advertising their HDTVs as Digital Televisions. It's all marketing to make you believe it's something totally new.
All the HDTV standard is is increased resolution (480p, 1080i, 720p) , an available different screen ratio (16:9), and pure digital transfer of the HD signal to get to your house. The HD receiver converts the digital signal to analog so it can plug into your TV. You can't connect the HD signal directly to your TV without the receiver, even if you had a DLP.
[Edited last by Scott L on October 21, 2001 at 01:57 PM]

 

[Allan Jayne]

These parts of a TV are analog:
NTSC tuner, composite video in jack (and video preamp), most cheap comb filters, S-video jack, component video jacks, CRT(s) either direct view or projection, video amplifiers for the CRT(s).
These parts of a TV are digital (not always present):
Built in HDTV tuner, better comb filters namely the 2D and 3D ones, all line doublers, Firewire input jack, LCD or DLP or plasma display.
More video hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm